Growing Up
by SternenDisaster
Summary: Mutou Yugi was just a quiet, little girl who loved to play games and was to small for her age. But after her grandfather dies, and the creator of one of her favorite game adopts her, things begin to change... Or in which Pegasus is learning to take his role as father serious.
1. Mutou Yugi

**A/N:** _Let's see... Nope, I don't have an excuse. This is one of my new stories and the one, currently holding my interest._

* * *

As he walked into that game shop, Pegasus expected some cashier welcoming him to the shop and asking him if he needed something.

However, he didn't expect a little girl sitting on the ground and sorting cards from a game he invented.

He was especially startled, as she looked up and amethyst eyes met his.

There was fire in them.

* * *

He came again some weeks later and he meet the girl again. Her shoulder length tri-colored hair was bound into a low ponytail and she was currently playing a game against the shop owner - probably her grandfather. The grandfather noticed him and wanted to apologize, but Pegasus only shook his head and gestured to the game. He wanted to see the outcome.

The grandfather understood and continued to play with the little girl, as Pegasus came nearer, so that he could see better what was going on.

He eye widened in shock, as he realized that the girl was leading the game. She looked so young - around three years old - he didn't expect her to even understand Duel Monsters.

With that he decided to take a peek at her thoughts. Normally he would refrain from doing so, when he wasn't in the middle of a duel, but it couldn't hurt to make some expectations.

Her name was Mutou Yugi, and despite her appearance, she was six years old.

She won the game.

* * *

After that he visited the shop more often. Sometimes he would talk with her grandfather and sometimes she would say something. He still waited for the day she would introduce herself, even if her grandfather already told him her name, even if he already found in her mind, surrounded by advanced strategies.

He still waited.

With time her grandfather warmed up to Pegasus, with time the little girl warmed up to him. And he found out why he never saw her parents.

"My daughter-in-law is foolish," Sugoroku muttered, his voice quiet and grave, "so foolish."

And as Pegasus looked at the little girl, trying to read a book, looking very excited, he couldn't help but agree.

That was foolish to ignore the little miracle before her.

* * *

It happened some days before Pegasus' next visit - last visit.

Her grandfather died.

A thief broke into the shop, hoping to steal something of worth. Though Sugoroku heard him and decided to come and see what was happening. The thief hit him with something hard on the head, and vanished, leaving a corpse behind.

The painful cries of a little girl woke up the neighbors.

Pegasus appeared some hours later, to wonder why there were police cars surrounding the shop. Then he heard some silent sobbing, and as he turned around, he was met with the sight of Yugi, standing by an elder woman.

"Poor Mutou-chan," someone whispered, "her grandfather died so sudden..."

What?

"Yes," someone other responded, "but now her mother will look after her."

He heard whimpers and realized that they were coming from Yugi. And he remembered what Sugoroku told him about his daughter-in-law.

That woman wouldn't get custody over Yugi. He would make sure of that.

He had to admit, that decision was sudden, unexpected. Though he wouldn't have called it off.

Especially as he finally met Yugi's mother. She had black hair and ice blue eyes. Her expression was kind of stiff and she glared at him and at Yugi - her own child.

In his opinion she looked like a witch. Her personality wasn't better.

He told her who he was, what he wanted and what he would give her. And she accepted, without protests.

She sold her own child off and walked away, not looking at Yugi.

Pegasus then turned to the little girl, wanting to explain what just happened. He was startled by the sight of her innocent eyes filled with pure knowledge.

"I'm Mutou Yugi," she started, looking directly at him. And then she muttered it, quiet, but still loud enough for him to hear.

"Thank you."

He smiled.

* * *

They arrived in America without problems. On their way to the head mansion, Pegasus told her who he was, what he did and that he adopted her.

"You're not my only child - I have two other sons, twins."

She nodded attentively, not taking her eyes of his lone one.

"You won't be meeting them for awhile though. I hope you can wait."

Then they arrived at the mansion, and Yugi blinked in surprise at how big it was.

"Welcome to your new home, Mut... No," he shook his head, as he smiled at her,"Yugi Crawford."

She smiled back a little.


	2. Shadows

**A/N:** _I know for a fact, that Pegasus adopted four people in the manga, but honestly the other two don't have enough personality in my opinion._

* * *

He bought the apartment and the Game shop her grandfather used to own and now there were people working there, under Industrial Illusions.

"You can always visit it, once we're in Japan," he told her, but she only shook her head.

"I don't think I will," then she looked at the ground, her amethyst eyes unfocused,"ever."

The last part was whispered. Pegasus still heard her.

Then he smiled a bit, "Give it some time, Yugi."

And with that he showed her the room in which she would rest from now on. Her room.

It was big - bigger than she expected - and it looked clean and yet kind of old. Something she liked very much. There were some shelves full of books and games, a television with some consoles, a desk, a comfortable looking bed, a big closet filled with clothes and a bathroom.

And the walls were painted in the colors of the night sky. A dark blue, mixed with black and filled with thousands of stars. It calmed her down.

Pegasus noticed.

"I let them know to decorate the room, some days beforehand."

In the last remaining days of his stay in Japan, she had lived in a guest room, of one of his mansions.

"In most of them, especially the one in Domino, will a be a room made, only for you. In case if you feel like visiting once you're older."

She didn't know how he understood what she wanted and what not.

He actually read her thoughts. He knew he shouldn't, but it was only for the first days. After that he would get used to guessing what she wanted.

"Thank you," she whispered, as she looked at him. He smiled.

Somehow he felt at ease that day.

"If you need something, call a butler and tell him."

He showed her the buttons she would need to click and then left her alone, ready to read through the documents regarding her and sign them. He would need to get her a private tutor, make sure she was citizen of the place they currently lived in and biy her some more games and books, after finishing the documents for the adoption.

* * *

Yugi clutched her bag, as she looked around the room. It had everything she needed, and she was unsure for what she could ask more at that point.

There was nothing.

With quiet steps, she made it to her bed and opened her bag. She bought some clothes, which was useless, after she looked into the closet.

He already bought her a lot and everything was to her liking, simple and comfortable. Well, with some expectations, but she was sure the dresses were meant for something more than everyday uses.

She returned to her bag, after adding the clothes she brought with her to the ones in the closet. In her bag were various books and games, which laid to the ones in the shelves. After that only one thing was in the bag.

Something important.

It was a golden box, containing pieces of a puzzle in it. Her grandfather gave her the puzzle with the challenge that she couldn't solve it.

She decided she would, as a goodbye. So she opened the box and took the pieces of it, trying to see which fit together. It was her first time working on it.

She spent the whole time on it, until a butler showed up, telling her that it was time for the dinner.

The food tasted nice for the first time in days.

* * *

Her tutor was a young man with sharp and yet warm brown eyes. She liked him, since he explained everything in a way she understood.

"That's my job," he would always say, "to make sure you understand."

And he did.

Mathematics, languages, history, technology, geography, chemistry, physics and so on. He would teach her what she needed in real life and what she needed to run a company.

It was clear her brothers - who she still had to meet - would earn Industrial Illusions, but she probably would get her share in something. And even then, they needed to prepare her for everything.

She loved studying. There were some annoying things to learn, but she liked the most.

That's what she told Pegasus, who blinked in surprise at her. Then he chuckled.

"One of my sons, Tenma Yako, wouldn't be as happy with studying."

She blinked, wondering what for a person he was.

"Don't worry, you'll meet them soon."

She nodded. Maybe she should ask him if he had time to play a game with her? Then again he probably hadn't and she wouldn't want to be a bot-

"Want to play a game?"

Surprised, she looked at him, only to see a genuine smile. Eagerly nodding, she grinned, as she grabbed her dueling deck.

"Duel Monsters, it is then."

He didn't use the eye, but he still won. Though Yugi wasn't an easy opponent.

"Thank you for the duel, Crawford-san."

He blinked and then softly shook his head, "It's father to you, Yugi. After all Crawford is now your name as well."

* * *

He didn't remember when "Pegasus-san" changed to "Daddy" and "Yugi" to "Yu-chan", but weeks passed by and they were long used to it.

And he had more concerning things to think about. Like the nightmares that seemed to plague his daughter a lot. She told him it would always begin with a grinning shadow and end with a blue cap and crimson eyes.

Professional help didn't bring anything, and as days passed and Yugi almost feared to sleep, he decided to look into her mind.

He didn't expect flashing images of shadows surrounding her mind and... Protecting her.


	3. Father and Daughter

He was shoved out of her mind with force.

For a moment he was still in her mind, observing the mysterious shadows, and then suddenly everything hurt, as he was shoved out of his daughter's mind, into the cold world of reality.

He stood there, frozen for a moment. _There were shadows in his daughter's mind. They were protecting her from him.  
_  
Why where shadows in Yugi's mind?

"Daddy?"

Yugi was looking at him, worry in her pretty eyes. He almost would have laughed at the irony. He was supposed to be the concerned one of both. She was suffering, not he.  
 _  
Why was she suffering?_

"Are you okay?"

He starred at her for a moment. "Yes," he muttered. _What a lie._ "Yes, I'm fine, Yu-chan."

No, he wasn't. His daughter might be in danger. _It scared him._

* * *

Days passed and Yugi was still suffering from nightmares. In the meantime, her father tried to get some information on the shadows.

Until Croquet pointed it out. _The shadow realm._ Of course, what else?

The shadows were from there, but why were they haunting his daughter? Did he accidentally summon them? No, he wouldn't make such mistakes. But what if he did? What if Yugi was only suffe-

"Daddy, are you fine?"

And he blinked in surprise, as he noticed his daughter clutching the hem of his shirt. Then he saw the questioning look in her eyes and remembered what she asked.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Daddy is feeling well," he smiled at her, hoping it would reassure her. She responded with her own smile.

"Did you need anything?"

He saw the curiosity in her eyes, since he promised himself to stop reading her mind. Not that he couldn't now.

"I had a question, but Croquet told me to ask you."

He blinked. _What question?_ Then he paled. She wouldn't ask about how babies were made, or (Yes, he may have a tutor for her, but Pegasus wanted to wait with such things. She was still so innocent after all)?

"Who is that beautiful woman on that portrait, hanging in your room?"

And his lone eye widened in shock. He almost forgot, that she still didn't know. _Cecelia..._

"She was my wife." She died was left out, but Yugi was smart enough to figure that out without help.

What was he doing? Shouldn't he be working on his plans, instead of searching for clues about shadows. When was the last time he worked on his plans? Why did he stop. He should just tell Yugi to play by herself or with one of the but-

"Daddy?"

His thoughts stopped, as he looked at Yugi, who smiled brightly at him.

"She sounds like an amazing person. I wish I could have met Cecelia-san!"

And then he realized.

"Yu-chan, I'm sure she would have loved to have you as daughter." She really would have. Yugi was a precious and kind little girl, after all. A wonderful daughter.

Pegasus felt as if a storm had passed. He felt relieved, and peaceful for the first time in years. 

* * *

The nightmares stopped for a while.

After their talk about Cecelia, Yugi seemed to be more happy and healthy. She got enough sleep for once and was full of energy.

He felt relieved at that fact, but still couldn't ignore the irony in it all. Cecelia wasn't alive anymore, and yet she still comforted his child.

 _Their child._

He meant every word, as he told his daughter, that Cecelia would have loved to be her mother.

He was sure of it. 

* * *

Christoph Camelot was her instructor. He came from Switzerland and possessed the warmest brown eyes.

He was generally a serious person, but knew how to joke. Also, his explanations were easy to understand.

That's why Yugi found it easy to answer stuff some levels above her age. Then again, she had a lot time to study. Her father hadn't always time to play with her and the butlers had a lot of work, she would feel guilty, if she got in the way. _Her father, huh?_

There were times she wouldn't have dared to call him that. No, she would have refused, because there was no way Pegasus could replace her mother's former lover. He didn't.

Pegasus surpassed her former father in any way.

It took her awhile to realize that, but after many years of shedding useless tears for a man, who decided that his wife, his own father and his daughter weren't important enough and to leave them. There were times, where she hoped he would came back and save their little family from their falling apart, but as spring turned into winter, clothed in white, she realized he wasn't the hero she wanted him to be.

He was just a stranger now, who liked to run away.

And as Pegasus told her, that he died, she only smiled bitterly. Maybe in another world she would have cried, but in this one, the tears already dried off.

Yugi realized he wasn't worth it – even less than her mother, who decided to let her anger out on a mere child.

They were a family that was never meant to be.

* * *

The nightmares didn't reappear for a long time. But Yugi was closer to finishing the puzzle. She was seven now. It took her more than a year and she was sure it would take her at least two months more before she would finish it.

It wasn't an easy puzzle, she knew that from the moment she laid her eyes on the golden pieces, shining in the light of the lamp in her grandfather's old shop. But she still couldn't help but be fascinated. The puzzle was unexpected, new and mysterious. It was a secret to be exposed and told – she loved it.

She remembered being four and staring at the golden box in her tiny hands. She always asked her grandfather for that pretty box on the shelf, hidden behind some old toys and boxes. Everytime she did, he would smile at her, take the box into his hands and tell her about its origin; the ancient Egypt, who was covered in sand, which glittered in the sunlight. Yugi would love to visit Egypt one time.

"Yu-chan?"

Looking up from her studies, Yugi smiled happily, as she saw her father.

"Daddy!"

Quickly, she sprang from her chair and threw herself into her father's arms. Looking at the clock, she blinked in surprise, as she realized that her father should still be working.

"You're early?"

Pegasus chuckled amused, "I finished early, Yu-chan. I'm the CEO of my company after all."

She smiled at the familiar nickname (he called her that, to remind her of Japan. He didn't want her to forget, where she grew up), but scowled at the next words.

"You can't just take off like that," she muttered, annoyed at her father. Sometimes he was even more of a child than her.

"I wanted to spend time with you, dear. You're worth it."

She blinked and then smirked, "Pretty words won't bring you anywhere, daddy."

"And yet you're smirking instead of scowling."

Yeah, more of a child than her.


	4. Realization

**A/N:** _Sorry for the rather late update! A lot of things happened and I caught a fever in the middle of it all, so I had to rest for awhile, but here I am now!_

 _Thanks for everyone's support!_

* * *

With seven years old, Yugi joined a children's tournament and slaughtered everyone with her skills.

People were astounded at her games and children jealous. Everyone wanted to talk with her and tried to get contact with her, but the security assured that they didn't.

But Yugi didn't care about that all. Pretty words from strangers were nothing to her.

But her father's proud voice as he complimented her was everything to her. She knew that it wouldn't stay that easy to make her father proud and happy, but she would try.

That's all she could do, after all.

* * *

Maybe she didn't realize it because the adoption happened so fast, because everyone was keeping her occupied, giving her work to do and playing with her. Because her mind was filled with thoughts of games, duels, her new brothers that she still had to meet, her puzzle.

Yes, that's why she probably didn't realize anything, _didn't understand_.

But as she sat on the bed in her room, after winning the competition, defeating everyone, her mind was surprisingly empty.

No thoughts about homework or studies, neither did she remind herself that her brothers would visit next week, there also wasn't one thought about the man she once called father, her mother or her daddy.

There was nothing, only silence and it continued for one hour. Her daddy would only arrive in two hours from work.

So she looked at the dueling cards on her table, read the descriptions she could remember by heart and then she smiled. These cards accompanied her since she was four, they were always there. They would always be there. Her eyes wandered to the golden box on the table, and she stood up to put it away. She hated leaving it valuable like that. She felt the cool metal, as she admired the box's shine from the light. Beautiful. And then she put it away.

Like she did with her memories, with the facts before her.

And suddenly it crept through her mind, as if it always was there. It was natural.

Her grandfather was dead. _Dead._

Yes, a she knew this. Yes, she saw his corpse, the dried blood and the broken lamp. She screamed.

But she never felt the pain, never really cried, because she didn't realize, she couldn't - everything happened too sudden.

It took her one year and more to understand that her grandfather was truly gone.

 _Why?!_

* * *

Pegasus came home earlier than he anticipated, but he was relieved about it.

His sweet daughter was screaming and crying in her room, refusing to get out or tell someone why.

So he stepped into her room, with the help of a key, and tried to comfort her. To realize one thing.

He didn't know how.

What was he supposed to do? And how? So he did the only thing he could think of. He hugged her.

Cecelia always did, so it might help. And it did.

Her crying turned into sobbing and slowly it vanished completely.

"What happened," he asked, his voice filled with worry.

"N-nothing," came the quiet response, "I-I'm sorry f-for being a bother."

Pegasus narrowed his eyes, looking at his little daughter, "Don't think so. You're not a bother." Then his eyes softened as he repeated the question.

At first, the girl only starred at the floor, reminding silent, but then she swallowed, before speaking up. She asked him something. It was a simple question, but it froze him over with the impact.

In her quietest voice she spoke the words, "Why did grandpa die? Why wasn't it me?"

Pegasus wanted her to tell that her grandfather was in the false place at the false moment. That it wasn't her fault. He wanted to tell her all these things, because, frankly, they were the truth, but...

... He doubted it would have helped. It was too late for that.

* * *

She calmed down eventually, but Yugi changed a bit. She didn't eat enough for her age and she refused to talk. Tough whenever you passed her room by night you could hear voice, whispering about either events of the days or beginnings and endings of lullabies.

She looked tired and the employers feared she lacked sleep, had a form of insomnia. But Pegasus knew better - too much time had her spent in her room sitting there and telling her fairytales, until she fell asleep.

He sighed as he watched her stubbornly look at the food on her plate, probably wishing for it to vanish in thin air.

He tried to distract her by buying her new games and giving her cards, but she refused them and ignored them. How much dust must they have caught, lying in her room unused?

"You need to eat, dear," he said seconds later.

But she only shook her head, her eyes hidden under the mess she called her hair. But moments later she looked up, as she heard steps from outside the dining area. Then she looked at him, showing her unique eyes.

"Who...?"

He smiled slightly, "See for yourself."

And the door opened to reveal two identical looking people.

The twins finally arrived to the party.


End file.
